Just The Way You Are
by ANimATion ImAgInAtIoN
Summary: Short Brutasha going to be based off the song in the title. Readers request.
1. Chapter 1

Bruce could see the bright green color in her expressive eyes the second she entered his lonely laboratory, wringing at his fingers with a nervous grin over his features. There was no doubt in his mind that she was about to lecture again; attempting to address his tendency to sneak out from his quarters to view the last few moments of a battle that his alter ego had not been invited to. It made the protective doctor feel better to know his team was okay despite the risk of an unnecessary explosion should his nerves over react. No matter what, it was nice to have company aside from Tony Stark inside his personal space.

"Dr. Banner?"

He kept his grin, nodding toward his Russian teammate;

"Hello Miss Romanoff."

The physicist turned his body back towards his work, his own eyes viewing his project through his glasses while he cautiously watching her movements through his peripheral vision.

"Director Fury wants to talk with you about upgrading some of your equipment. But you'll have to meet him in an hour to tell him what you want."

He nodded, thrown off guard by her choosing not to scold him;

"Okay. Thank you."

His tongue rolled up along the roof of his mouth in the brief silence that followed, watching Natasha scoop up his latest papers full of research to hand in to the director.

"Oh. And doctor?"

"Hm?"

He slowed down his pace, eyes flicked up towards hers while he waited for her to speak.

She grinned, her expression sending off a hint of sarcasm;

"Next time you want to watch the show, make sure you stay behind the hulk proof glass. We don't need you burning yourself out unnecessarily."

His head lifted, eyes roving over her delicate features and dirty cheek from the battle;

"Right. I'll try to remember next time."

Natasha lifted an eyebrow, "Next time you're hitting the pavement with us. Cap had a hard time controlling things out there today. You were almost missed Doc."

He grinned sarcastically, "Almost? I also know for a fact Barton wasn't the only one having a little issue out there today. Are you alright?"

"Fantastic. Hurry up and finish what you're doing. I'll run this research down for you."

He lifted his head once she turned, taking her time to head back out towards his exit. Bruce tugged back at his fingers, recalling the bruised he had briefly noticed over her neck, watching her slight uncharacteristic limp. He pulled in his lips, aware of her stubborn nature but chose to speak up anyways;

"I'd see a doctor about that injury-"

"I'm fine thank you."

Her slender fingers wrapped around the door handle, closing it behind her with a soft click.

Bruce rested his palms over the desk, eyes still fixated on the closed door.


	2. Falling Slowly

"Tell me something Clint, why on Earth you find the need to be so sarcastic all the time."

The archer twirled the alcohol at the base of his bottle, rolling his eyes over Steves remark;

"Oh whatever. I'm just saying how I feel. You got a problem with that?"

Steve sighed out and tilted his head, sitting with the team;

"There are nicer ways to say it."

Tony entered with a look on his face, making eye contact with the captain before snapping his fingers;

"Okay. You could sit anywhere in the living room and you choose, my seat."

His bluer eyes return the contact and he released another sigh before reluctantly getting up;

"I'm sorry Stark I didn't realize."

"Okay well now you know. Now everybody know not to choose the right side of the couch. Oh and red that chair is mine too-"

"Grow up."

Natasha shifted in her place, flipping through the pages of the magazine left out on the table. Thor chuckled lightly;

"I do not think she is inclined to move."

Tony waved his hand, wisely choosing not to argue with the red haired assassin;

"Anyone know where Banners hiding?"

Maria hill shrugged her shoulders, handing Barton his third bottle of beer;

"Is he still working."

Stark mumbled, pulling out his phone;

"Yeah probably. I'll FaceTime him until he's uncomfortable and ready to come downstairs and talk to me for real."

Natasha rolled her eyes subtly, listening to Clints response;

"Yeah, that's great. He's probably got the hulk begging to be loose since the battle so you're a genius. Aggravate him some more."

Natasha mumbled from the chair, hearing out Maria Hills argument and her responses to Stark and Clint. She crossed her knees, fingertip ready to turn into the next page;

"If I hear Banners name one more time I will taze every single one of you in this room. Leave him alone."

Steve shifted over the impending silence, laying back in his seat while he lifted his shoulders;

"All I know is that he should be included. Maybe he doesn't know we're here."

Tony chuckled, holding his communication device while he elbowed the Captain;

"Watch this, I'm going to show you how to FaceTime-"

"Put the phone away. I'll be right back."

Starks eyes widened over Romanoffs snap, eyes narrow while he felt the stiff breeze of her movement.

"Okay..."

She kept her stern face, focused on her intention to drag the doctor down to the room and silence Tony Stark. Her eyes flick upward over the man now in front of her, taking a step back to adjust his glasses.

"Hello Miss Romanoff."

She nodded friendly, stepping into the kitchen as if it were her destination all along;

"Doctor. I was about to go up there and drag you down here at gun point."

"Well I'm glad you didn't."

Her fingers wrapped around the bottle in front of her. Bruce kept his focus shifted between her fingers and her facial expression, slightly intimidated by the way she patrolled the room;

"Want a beer?"

He lifted his hands, "No thank you."

She nodded, tossing the cap on the counter;

"I didn't think so."

"Brucey my main man!"

Banner shifted his stare, feeling a hand grab at his shoulder and lead him toward the common room;

"Hi Tony. How was the battle?"

He shrugged, "Fabulous. But that one alien had some nerve dodging for this pretty face."

Barton scoffed with an open mouth;

"Whatever. Cap teach him lesson."

Steve crossed his arms;

"One day he'll learn humility."

"Hey hey, easy now. I was born modest. Fortunately, it wore off."

Bruce contorted his mouth and shook his head over Tony's comment, taking a seat while he tugged at his fingers. He took in his surroundings, comfortable to be around his teammates and smirked over Thor's facial expression while he sat back and listened.

His shoulder flinched lightly over a gentle touch, looking over to see the red head beside him and pulled her hand away causally before sipping her alcohol;

"New shirt?"

"Uh. It's Tony's."

Natasha lifted an eyebrow, licking her upper lip;

"I see."

Clint held his forehead, giggling in the corner;

"Nat, Nat, tell Thor about the time you attacked the demon cop."

The corner of her mouth curved upward, "He wasn't a 'demon cop' just not a good guy."

Bruce rested his elbows on his knees, quietly analyzing her grin that he had seen once or twice before. He gazed straight ahead zoning out to the soft sound of her voice.


	3. Fear

Natasha wiped the damp cloth across her cheek and down her chin. She leaned further over the sink to get a closer view of her work while she cleaned off her makeup.

Her ears perked up once she heard a soft knock on the door of her room. Far too gentle for average ears to pick up on. Her focus shifted briefly, turning back to check her eyes.

Romanoff heard the door creak open steadily, using the bathroom mirror to watch her guest take a nervous step inside.

"Hello. I'm sorry Miss Romanoff, you just left your sweater on the chair. I just wanted to return it."

She grinned politely;

"Thank you Doc."

Bruce nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets, feeling awkward for lingering and turned to leave;

"Sure. No problem."

"Do you want to sit down?"

He tilted his head, watching the red head from behind and glanced through the mirror to see her eyes. As usual, they stayed vacant and hardly helpful.

Banner shrugged, taking a step behind him. Natasha didn't seem like the type of person to begin a casual conversation, though that even ing had proved Bruce wrong. She was more talkative then usual. Well, talkative for Romanoff. He stuttered, unsure of how to handle her remark;

"I um."

She answered abruptly, turning on the sink one final time;

"I have the results from the lab test I want to give you while you're here."

"Oh."

He breathed steadily, calmed by the thought of her conversation being work related. Even though Bruce was beginning to think he wouldn't mind a casual conversation, if she did those things.

Natasha stepped into the room, sorting the papers on her desk to locate the results to hand the physicist;

"Here. You might enjoy reading that over later. It's not exactly a bedtime story but I think you'll find it interesting to look at before we're called to battle again."

He brushed his fingers over his cheek, debating on reaching for the glasses in his front pocket and reading at that moment:

"Was I right about their cellular build and blood type?"

She shrugged, smirking casually;

"I don't know Doc. You're the one interested in alien blood. For the fun of it?"

He lifted his head, hands moving expressively;

"Curiosity."

"Like every other scientist."

"...yeah. Like everyone else."

He mumbled, reaching for his glasses to check the print out.

She stayed beside him to look on, resting her elbow over his shoulder.

Bruce flinched slightly, regretting his action while she pulled away;

"Something wrong?"

"No not at all."

"Oh, that's funny. Something wrong with your shoulder?"

Bruce sighed pushing his glasses up further on his nose after giving her a cryptic expression;

"No, why?"

Natasha nodded, crossing her arms while she looked at the quiet and yet mysterious doctor.

"You flinch every time I touch your shoulder."

He lowered his head after feeling his cheeks go warmer, working at his poker face while he glanced back toward her;

"I guess I do it subconciously."

She rolled her tongue over her cheek;

"So it has nothing to do with me?"

Bruce shook his head;

"No. You're um. You're a good teammate. I trust you."

Natasha held her grin, turning to put her folded clothes into the drawer;

"No you don't. And you're wise not to."

Banner crossed his arms, looking at her as of he was aware he was using the mirror in front of her to see him;

"You shouldn't be too offended Miss Romanoff. Something is telling me that you don't exactly have full confidence in me either."

Her fingers went about her work, "You're right doctor, I don't."

He nodded, making eye contact once she turned to face him;

"More so the other guy?"

She froze for a minute, stern veneer breaking for only a moment while she focused on his deep brown eyes;

"Not necessarily. You're the one who stuttered through your comment."

He bit his cheek, huffing out a laugh. She made him stutter. Bruce lifted his stare;

"Hm. But you're the one whose frightened."

"I'm not frightened."

"My mistake. Your face just changed a bit over mention of, the other guy."

"Your other half."

He smirked wider, seeing the slight hint of fear in her eyes. Bruce felt slightly accomplished to have flipped the table. And remained proud as the only other avenger who held a certain power over the invincible Black Widow. Though slightly discontent with the thought of his alter ego. He removed his lenses;

"It's getting late. You have a goodnight Miss Romanoff."

Natasha shifted her focus, inwardly uncomfortable while she sorted the rest of her belongings;

"Yes, you too Dr. Banner."


End file.
